Report on Texas Charter-School Authorizing Process Lacks Solid Evidence

A recent report. Time to Change Course: Reclaiming the Potential of Texas Charter Schools, written by Adam Jones and Amanda List and published by ExcelinEd and the Texas Public Policy Foundation, examines the charter-school authorizing process in Texas and contends that a 2013 legislative policy change has made the authorization process too restrictive, thus reducing the number of applicants and stifling innovation. 

Professor Edward J. Fuller of Penn State University reviewed Time to Change Course: Reclaiming the Potential of Texas Charter Schools, and found that its findings and conclusions are not supported by research or other compelling evidence and, thus, do not provide useful guidance for policymakers.

After surveying current and past Texas authorizing policies, the report claims Texas had formerly been a leader in creating high-performing charter schools. It further claims that Texas’ past low barriers for entry into the market (i.e., ease of having an application approved by an authorizer) was a contributing factor to this success. The report then provides recommendations for creating an easier authorization process.

While the report is billed as a case study, Professor Fuller notes that it does not employ case study methodology. Moreover, the report fails to review or cite relevant research; it instead relies on unsubstantiated claims, anecdotes, misleading statements, and even demonstrably false statements—all in support of advocacy for more charter schools in Texas.

In short, he concludes, this report is an advocacy paper masquerading as a case study. Policymakers would be well advised to skip the report and look for a more evidence-based review of the Texas charter authorizing process.